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UN Updates
FOAA Online! launched by UN Expert
The Special Rapporteur on right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association announced the launch of FOAA Online!, which is an online legal research tool that hosts a compilation of legal arguments on assembly and association rights. These arguments are based on international law standards and principles, and will assist lawyers, activists and judges involved […]
USA cuts funding to UNFPA
Continuing its crackdown on organisations that provide and facilitate access to abortion services, the USA administration announced that it would be substantially reducing the financial aid extended to the United National Population Fund (UNFPA) for 2017. This decision has been denounced by UN Women, in view of the UNFPA’s life-saving efforts to protect the health […]
UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly releases annual report on the status of these rights in 2016
The UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association has submitted a report to the UNHRC on the status of assembly and association rights in the year 2016. The report started with a note of caution from the Special Rapporteur about the global struggle that has been witnessed through […]
Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights submits report to the UNHRC
In a report submitted to the UNHRC by the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, socio-economic rights received strong support. The historical negligence of socio-economic rights was linked to the failure of sustainable development in a heavily capitalized world economic structure. The Special Rapporteur called for the legal recognition of these rights at […]
OHCHR and UNMISS jointly release report on human rights violations in South Sudan
The report by the UN Mission in South Sudan and OHCHR found that throughout the fighting that occurred in July 2016 between the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition (SPLM/A-IO), both sides ignored international human rights and humanitarian law. The report lays special emphasis on the violation of women’s and […]
Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights submits second report, calls for contributions for a study on fundamentalism and cultural rights
In her second report to the Human Rights Council, the Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights considers how the rise of fundamentalism and extremism threatens the enjoyment of human rights worldwide. She argues that cultural rights can play a key role in combating fundamentalism and extremism and argued against State austerity measures that […]
OHCHR team interviews Rohingya victims of violence, highlights atrocities
In a Flash Report issued by a four member team who visited Bangladesh to interview Rohingya people who had entered the country in the aftermath of the 9th October 2016 attacks, interviews with 204 people reveal killings, rape and all manner of violence committed by Myanmarese security forces in an area isolated from the world […]
Sexual violence against own armed force qualifies as a war crime, holds ICC
Trial Chamber VI of the International Criminal Court (ICC), in the case of The Prosecutor v. Bosco Ntaganda, found that it has jurisdiction over counts 6 and 9 (alleged war crimes of rape and sexual slavery of child soldiers). Rejecting the Defence argument that war crimes do not include crimes committed by members of an armed […]
Public Consultation launched by new UN Expert on LGBTI rights
The first Independent Expert on elimination of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity held a public consultation on January 25 in Geneva. The expert’s mandate and basic activities were discussed at the consultation. The consultation was boycotted by the 57 member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the 54 member African Group. Sources: bit.ly/2jdHaIf, […]
UN Mission to Ukraine releases report on sexual violence
The United Nations Human Rights Mission to Ukraine released its report on the impunity in widespread sexual violence in Ukraine, committed in the context of armed conflict. The report documents cases of conflict-related sexual violence committed against both men and women who were detained by either Government forces or armed groups. The report states that sexual violence is severely […]